Written Answers Wednesday 6 February 2008

Scottish Executive

Adoption

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding each local authority received for adoption services in each year of the 2004 spending review.

Fiona Hyslop: Funding allocations were not calculated with specific reference to adoption services within grant aided expenditure for these years. Whilst local government had flexibility to allocate other resources to this area, the specific amounts allocated to local government under the more general heading of Casework and Related Administration – Children, which would include adoption services, were as follows:

  2005-06: £71.5 million

  2006-07: £73.4 million

  2007-08: £73.9 million.

Class Sizes

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of no funding being made available to local authorities to reduce class sizes to 18 pupils or fewer in P1 to P3 classes, where the funding for this purpose will be found.

Adam Ingram: The local government finance settlement will provide local authorities with £34.7 billion from 2008-11 including an extra £1.4 billion. This level of funding will provide sufficient resources to allow local government to make year on year progress on reducing class sizes in primary 1 to primary 3.

Credit Unions

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the credit union movement in respect of the Curriculum for Excellence programme.

Maureen Watt: The Curriculum for Excellence comprises a series of learning outcomes and experiences; many of which support financial capability. It is for local authorities to determine how to deliver Curriculum for Excellence and to seek contributions to that from local organisations including credit unions. Although the credit union movement has not been consulted directly about the Curriculum for Excellence, a number of credit unions successfully run a junior savers programme aimed at not only providing a saving function for children but also to provide a level of financial education to both the children and their parents both within and outwith a school setting.

Crown Office

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a fatal accident inquiry into the death from anthrax of Christopher Norris will now take place, following NHS Borders’ report into the matter.

Frank Mulholland QC: Crown Counsel have now taken the decision that there will be a fatal accident inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Christopher or Pascal Norris.

Diabetes

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-7801 by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 January 2008, what the timescale is for implementing the National Screening Committee’s recommendation to screen groups who are at high risk of type 2 diabetes.

Nicola Sturgeon: While awaiting further recommendations from the National Screening Committee on screening mechanisms, clinicians are already implementing clinical guidelines and contractual requirements regarding the screening of high-risk groups for diabetes.

Education

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pupils at (a) primary and (b) secondary schools were suspended or expelled for bringing knives into school buildings in (i) 2002-03, (ii) 2003-04, (iii) 2004-05, (iv) 2005-06 and (v) 2006-07, broken down by local authority.

Maureen Watt: This information is not held centrally.

  Information on the number and type of incidents which led to school exclusion in each year requested is available from:

  2002-03: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/02/18912/33196.

  2003-04: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/02/20735/53114.

  2004-05: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/01/30144545/0.

  2005-06: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/01/30100624/0.

  2006-07: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00623.

Education

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents were recorded at (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each local authority where pupils were caught taking a class A, B or C drug during (i) 2002-03, (ii) 2003-04, (iii) 2004-05, (iv) 2005-06 and (v) 2006-07.

Maureen Watt: The information requested is not held centrally.

Fuel Duty

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that Scotland’s share arising from any further fuel duty support from the UK Government for bus operators in England and Wales is allocated directly to bus service operators in Scotland.

John Swinney: Scottish ministers, subject to the approval of the Scottish Parliament, are free to allocate the available budget in whatever way they see fit. Ministers, from the present and previous administrations, have therefore made their decisions on the basis of what is best for Scotland, irrespective of the way in which budgets have been allocated in England and Wales.

  If the Department for Transport were to make changes (increases or decreases) in the level of fuel duty support, that would affect the budget available to Scotland, as calculated through the Barnett formula. It would be for ministers, taking account of the net change in the total Scottish budget, to decide which Scottish budget lines should be amended, and to ask Parliament to approve the relevant budget amendments.

Justice

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many motorists have been banned from driving in each of the last five years.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the tables.

  The number of persons with a charge proved in Scottish courts where a driving disqualification had been recorded, 2001-02 to 2005-06.

  

 
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Scotland
17,612
22,338
20,997
19,607
18,064

Piers and Harbours

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority received from the Piers and Harbours Grant in each year of the 2004 spending review.

Stewart Stevenson: The information requested is as follows:

  

 
2005-06
2006-07
Total


£000
£000
£000


Argyll and Bute Council
95
2,698
2,793


The Highland Council
1,835
412
2,247


Orkney Islands Council
352
965
1,317


Total
2,282
4,075
6,357



  Only five local authorities are eligible for Piers and Harbours Grants under existing arrangements, namely Argyll and Bute, Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar, Highland, Orkney and Shetlands Councils.

  Grant payments to individual local authorities in 2007-08 will be made available when the Scottish Government’s annual accounts for 2007-08 are published later this year.

Rail Network

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change has taken to ensure that rail passengers and the economy do not experience a recurrence of the recent issues involving Network Rail and the over-running of engineering projects.

Stewart Stevenson: Maintenance of the railway is an operational matter for Network Rail, who are funded by Scottish ministers under the terms of the Railways Act 2005. Transport Scotland has contributed in strong terms to the Office of Rail Regulation investigation into Network Rail’s management of engineering projects and I shall be very interested in the findings to see what lessons may be learnt to avoid a similar situation arising in the future.

Rail Network

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place between the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change and Network Rail to ensure that rail passengers and the economy do not experience a recurrence of the recent issues caused by the over-running of engineering projects.

Stewart Stevenson: The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change spoke with the Chairman of Network Rail during the disruption.

Rail Network

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that all rail projects, including the Glasgow Airport Rail Link and the reopening of the Airdrie to Bathgate line, are delivered on time and within budget.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government, through its transport agency, Transport Scotland, takes active steps to control the cost and delivery timescale of both the Glasgow Airport Rail Link, and the Airdrie to Bathgate project. Transport Scotland uses normal project management disciplines, including governance, reporting and review processes.

  A cost review exercise of the Airdrie to Bathgate project has recently been completed, and a similar exercise is now under way for GARL. The results of these exercises will be included in the determination by the Office of Rail Regulation of funding required by Network Rail in the next regulatory control period.

Rail Network

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change last met representatives of Network Rail to discuss progress on the construction of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link.

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change last met representatives of Network Rail to discuss progress on the reopening of the Airdrie to Bathgate line.

Stewart Stevenson: I meet regularly with Network Rail to discuss progress on the portfolio of rail projects.

Renewable Energy

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the number and scale of applications for onshore wind farms in Argyll and Bute.

Stewart Stevenson: There are no local targets for onshore wind farm developments. Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 6, Renewable Energy confirms that the target for the percentage of Scotland’s electricity to be generated from renewable sources should not be regarded as a cap.

  Development plan policies for wind farms should be based on the principle that wind farms should be accommodated where the technology can operate efficiently and environmental and cumulative impacts can be addressed satisfactorily.

Renewable Energy

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it considers the number and scale of applications for onshore wind farms in Argyll and Bute would have on the landscape, quality of life and tourism in the area if implemented.

Stewart Stevenson: Each application for a wind farm is determined on its own merits. Scottish Planning Policy 6 Renewable Energy provides that consideration should include a wide range of factors including impacts on landscape, communities and tourism, and cumulative impacts of other proposals which have been built, given permission or are the subject of a valid application.

Renewable Energy

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to reduce the number of speculative planning applications for onshore wind farms.

Stewart Stevenson: Under planning legislation there are no powers to prevent planning applications being made. However, the preparation of up-to-date policies by planning authorities which reflect Scottish Planning Policy 6 Renewable Energy should provide greater certainty for developers and local communities.

Renewable Energy

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports national or local locational guidance for siting onshore wind farm developments.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government believes that Scottish Planning Policy (SPP6) Renewable Energy provides a sound national policy context for addressing onshore wind development. We want to see the SPP’s provisions taken forward urgently, with local authorities engaging with communities and other parties in the preparation of locational strategies in the form of supplementary planning guidance. These local frameworks should provide greater certainty for developers and local communities and speed up the decision process. We see this approach as striking the right balance between national and local responsibilities.

Road Safety

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will highlight in its road safety campaigns dangers caused by diesel and oil spills.

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce a safety campaign to highlight the danger of over-filling diesel tanks, given that diesel and oil spills on roads have led to a number of fatalities in the north east this year.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government provides funding to Road Safety Scotland for the development of key road safety education initiatives and publicity messages. Road Safety Scotland’s business plan for 2007-08 does not include plans for a campaign on the dangers caused by diesel and oil spills.

  In deciding its priorities for publicity campaigns, Road Safety Scotland concentrates on known major causes of road deaths and serious injuries, such as speeding, drink driving and seat belt use.

  Out of a total of 13,109 injury accidents in Scotland in 2006, there were 81 accidents, including one fatal, in which the presence of oil or diesel on the road was recorded. This represents 0.6% of injury accidents.

Road Safety

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take on the enforcement of legislation in respect of diesel and oil spills on roads.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has no such plans as the enforcement of the legislation in respect of diesel and oil spills on roads is a matter for the police.

Sectarianism

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provides specific sectarianism awareness training to its staff.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government provides Diversity Awareness training to its staff, which covers a range of issues including religious intolerance. The Scottish Government also covers a range of equality and diversity issues in its management and policy skills training. In addition, we have run events during the Scottish Government’s Policy Week which were specifically devoted to raising awareness of sectarianism among staff. However, we do not offer awareness training devoted exclusively to sectarianism.

Voluntary Organisations

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings are planned with the Prince’s Trust to discuss its concerns regarding changes in funding arrangements.

Jim Mather: Officials met representatives of the Princes Trust on 21 January to discuss concerns held about future funding arrangements. Informal discussions continue.